Asking the Right Question
by rainsoakedreams
Summary: Parker gives Maggie a quick lesson on learning to ask the right questions. Pairing: Nate/Eliot. Big roles from Parker and Maggie. WARNING: Slight Spoilers for Zanzibar Marketplace Job


Disclaimer: As always I am just a poor author who gets amused writing things from time to time. I don't owe Leverage or the actors or anything associated… though I really would like to own Eliot's mug from the series pilot. In short: NOT MINE and of course as a result NO PROFIT for me.

A/N: This was a quick written by a visual I got on Valentine 's Day. It's just a couple of hours late because I was working out the last bits of Transformation: Chapter 7. Be proud! I managed a one shot that actually ended as a one-shot.

Please don't forget to review and let me know what you think! I need to know if I should work on more of these puppies. Many thanks!

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Surprisingly relieved to be alive, Maggie Collins found herself sitting in the least likely place she could think of at the moment – in her ex-husband's apartment. Apparently, unlike some people, she was used to living a relatively normal life and rarely found herself in a situation where her health was in question.

She had come over hoping to have a word with Nate. Honestly she just wanted to check up on him and explain away that last moment kiss just in case he read too much into it. Nathan Ford, this version of him, was not someone she could risk losing her heart too. She needed to be sure her impromptu action hadn't sent any mixed signals. In fact, she had come back into town just for that.

Of course she wasn't alone, no, that would have made things a little easier to think over. Instead she was sitting on the couch with the small blonde woman who had so kindly packed her not needed but much appreciated fugitive bag some days before.

"So what did you need to see Nate about anyways?" Parker asked, bouncing her heels off the couch.

Maggie offered her a gentle smile, "Just something I need to make sure about."

Parker made a face, looking thoughtful for a moment, "Oh, you mean that whole who's with who thing."

"No, well yes, but no. It has more to do with something that happened in the elevator… which you probably saw anyhow." Maggie paused, hesitating on her next question but too curious not to ask, "What do you mean the dating who thing? Nate said he wasn't dating anyone."

Parker opened her mouth to answer but Maggie interrupted.

"I'm sorry, no; it wasn't my place to ask. I shouldn't pry." She hastily added.

Parker looked slightly disappointed, "Oh, so you don't want to know?"

Maggie shook her head and clasped her hands in her lap. A dull silence fell between the two women.

"It's that Tara girl, isn't it?" Maggie blurted out.

"Thought you didn't want to know." Parker frowned and cocked her head, "But nope."

"Well I didn't, but since it's already been brought up… I mean I shouldn't." She studied her hands, "Sophie right, it's Sophie?"

Parker pursed her lips and studied Nate's ex-wife for a moment. Did she want to know or didn't she?

A small sigh came from Maggie, "It is her then."

Her answer, "No."

Maggie looked up at that, sure Parker was getting at something without actually saying it.

"See, that's the problem with sweet people like you." Parker added in when Maggie didn't say anything else, "When dealing with people in our line of work, well mine, not yours, you have to learn how to ask the right question to get the details you're actually after. It's all about how they categorize things in their minds."

Thin eyebrows drew down over Maggie's eyes. "What are you talking about? I asked him specifically if he was dating Tara or Sophie and he said no to both."

Parker clucked her tongue and gave her an amused look, "Just precious."

Maggie's brows drew down further. "So…"

The blonde smiled, "You should have asked 'Are you in a genuine relationship with someone?'. That would have gotten a more appropriate answer."

She was confused and her face showed it, "He said he wasn't dating anyone."

"He's not. He doesn't necessarily consider it dating." Parker assured her in case Maggie misunderstood and thought Nate had been lying.

"But you implied…"

"I said genuinely in a relationship. It's not the same as just dating someone." Parker explained calmly and slowly like she was talking to a small child. "I thought everyone knew that."

Maggie was even more confused than she had been to begin with. "So there is someone?"

A huge grin pulled onto Parker's face. This was getting to be fun. "Oh yeah."

She opened her mouth to ask the question she was dying to know the answer to but held back. It wasn't right, not to ask Parker at least. It wasn't the younger girl's place to tell her about Nate. It would be prying too far, intruding. What she needed to do was ask Nate herself.

She lifted her chin and returned the smile, making her soft spoken request, "Could you take me to him?"

Parker's smile grew and Maggie's felt her stomach curl tight in nervousness at the look. The thief looked entirely too pleased with the question and she was worried she might have phrased something wrong.

"Well come on then," Parker chirped and hopped up.

She lead them out of the apartment and a little ways down the hall to a different one, not bothering to knock on the door when she let herself in. Maggie hesitantly walked in after her and watched as Parker practically skipped to yet another door, fiddling with it soundlessly for a second before it too opened.

With a shrug Maggie followed. Surely Parker knew where she was going and Hardison owned the apartments technically, or so Nate had told her. They were already in the apartment so how much harm could going into a room cause?

Then again maybe she should have remembered that's Parker's version of okay didn't match up with everyone else's; because what she saw was not a scene she had been prepared for.

There was Eliot, chest bare, face flushed, lips slightly swollen, a bite mark burning red against the skin of his shoulder and form fitting jeans only staying on his hips by some miracle from the way the button had been undone. His strong hands were holding something or more likely someone's wrists down. Guessing from the shape of the covers underneath him and the way he was in a straddling position she was going to venture to guess he was neither alone nor had planned on being interrupted.

And though it was beyond wrong she couldn't help but think whoever was under him was an incredibly lucky woman. Her jaw had dropped at the pleasant but unexpected sight, her cheeks instantly heating up. Realizing she was staring- and hopefully not drooling- she turned her head to look at Parker.

She wasn't the least bit ashamed. Her grin had only broadened and she looked down right giddy at what was in front of her. No small feat considering that Eliot was presently giving her a very annoyed look.

Eliot's eyes shifted from Parker to who she had walked in with her and for a moment his face fell, his surprise and the slightest bit of nervousness showing on his face.

Nate frowned at the expression, reading it quickly and not sure what was going on. Granted he didn't enjoy being interrupted but it wasn't like the team didn't already know about them so Eliot really should not be reacting like that.

He arched slightly under him, getting the brunette's attention. "Who is it?" he mouthed up at his lover.

Maggie face was scarlet. It was a wonder Nate would let him bring anyone so near headquarters, to his home, but it wasn't her place to get involved. Finally she found her voice again, "Oh my, I am so sorry Eliot. I didn't mean to…"

Her eyes had been cast on the ground but she lifted them to try to explain herself. Greeted with the sight of his naked flesh and his 'friend' moving under him she hastily looked down again.

Nate's eyes closed when he heard the voice, immediately knowing who it belonged too. He swallowed and slowly slipped his wrists from Eliot's grip, covering his face with his hands.

Maggie turned to Parker, her back to the pair in the bed so she didn't accidentally see anymore, "We need to go. We shouldn't have interrupted him like this. Again, I am so sorry Eliot… and uh, Eliot's friend."

Parker looked at Maggie in confusion, not understanding the problem. She looked at nearly naked Eliot on the bed then back to her again with a frown, "But I thought you wanted to see Nate?"

Maggie tried to leave, "I did but I don't see how interrupting Eliot…"

"But he's right there!" Parker said, pointing towards the bed. She hadn't realized the former Mrs. Ford was a little slow in the head. Maybe all that honesty was starting to eat at her brain.

"He's right wh…" Maggie started to ask before the meaning clicked into place. She turned her head back towards the bed. Eliot's face was shielded by his long hair since he seemed to be focused on his partner.

Nate peeked out from behind his hands, noting the hurt look Eliot was wearing at his reaction. It wasn't there a second before Eliot wiped it away but it was more then enough for Nate to know what he was seeing. He was afraid that Nate was ashamed of him in front of his EX-wife.

"Hey you," Nate spoke up, ignoring the presence of the two women in the room.

Eliot said nothing, just watching the older man for some kind of cue on how they could convincingly explain this away. Getting nothing when Nate tried to read him a second time, he slid off of him.

Or had been trying to if Nate hadn't grabbed his arm.

A smile pulled onto Nate's mouth, amusement shining in his eyes as he slid his hands to push the hair away from his lover's face and tuck it behind his ear like he hadn't a care in the world.

"Are you ashamed of me Eliot?" He teased, fingers trailing slowly over the younger man's cheek. Not needing for him to say anything to actually know the answer Nate shifted his arms so they were wrapped around his neck, pulling Eliot down and pressing him into slow, sensual kiss.

Forget shame, he knew what he wanted.


End file.
